Notes: The AR-70
began in 1968, when Italy belatedly decided to adopt the 5.56mm NATO cartridge
that most of the rest of NATO was already using for its assault rifles.They had been using the 7.62mm NATO-firing BM-59 series, but after a
couple of years of testing candidates (and stalling somewhat), they adopted the
AR-70 series (also called the AR-70/223) in 1970.

The AR-70
series, though reminiscent in appearance of the Stoner 63 series, has nothing to
do with the Stoner in design; the operation is a derivative of the AK-47 gas
system, with a modified M-1 Garand/BM-59 bolt.Construction is largely of stamped steel, and nonmetallic parts are of
synthetics or plastics.
(Prototypes, however, used wooden furniture.)The handguard was originally ribbed, but this was later changed to a
fluted design.The fire selector is
conventional and mounted on the left side of the receiver, with the charging
handle on the right side.The
sights are conventional and similar to those found on most assault rifles, but
the AR-70 also has folding tangent leaf sights for use with rifle grenades.The AR-70 series also has a gas cutoff for use with older rifle grenades.The receiver has a mount for use with most NATO-type optics of the
period, and the bayonet lug accepts most US-pattern bayonets.

The AR-70 is the
standard assault rifle using a 17.7-inch barrel; the SC-70 is the paratroopers'
carbine, essentially the same weapon with a folding steel stock coated with
plastic. There is also a SCS-70 special paratroopers' carbine, with a folding
stock and shortened 12.6-inch barrel; it cannot use a bayonet, and the use of
rifle grenades requires the attachment of a clip-on muzzle device and grenade
sights.The LM-70 is a
heavy-barreled sharpshooters' weapon, and the price includes a telescopic sight
and bipod.The AR-70 series are fed
by proprietary magazines, and cannot use any other type of magazines.

By the
mid-1980s, it was felt that the AR-70 was getting long in the tooth, and a
series of modernization upgrades were taken to extend the service life of the
weapon.This resulted in the
AR-70/90 series.General
modifications include simplified manufacturing processes, a light alloy lower
receiver (with hardened steel rails for the bolt to move upon), a straight-line
layout (done mostly by raising the heel of the stock), a detachable carrying
handle (when removed, the AR-70/90 can use any sort of STANAG-compliant optics
or devices), and an ambidextrous fire selector.The standard selector lever allows for both bursts and full automatic
fire, but versions are also available which omit the burst-firing feature.The magazine well was modified to accept M-16-type magazines of any sort
(and it cannot use the older AR-70 magazines).Any member of the series may be fitted with a removable folding bipod,
with the exception of the LM-70/90, where the bipod is fixed.In addition to being able to fire rifle grenades, the AR-70/90 and
SC-70/90 may also mount underbarrel grenade launchers.Rifling twist was changed for compatibility with the new SS-109
ammunition.

The AR-70/90
uses a 17.7-inch barrel and is the standard assault rifle version; the SC-70/90
is the same weapon with a folding stock.The SCP-70/90 is a paratrooper’s carbine, with a 14.17-inch barrel and a
folding stock.The SCS-70/90 is
designed for special operations (like its SCS-70 predecessor); it uses a
13.86-inch barrel, but requires adapters to use rifle grenades, cannot mount
underbarrel grenade launchers, and cannot use bayonets.It also has no ability to use the bipod.The LM-70/90 is, of course, the equivalent of the LM-70 in the AR-70/90
series.

The AR-70 and
AR-70/90 have also been sold on the civilian market; often, these
semiautomatic-only versions will often be seen with thumbhole wooden stocks,
omitted flash suppressors, and/or no bayonet lugs.

Twilight 2000
Notes: At the start of the Twilight War, about half the Italian armed forces
were still using the AR-70 and the LM-70; most SC-70s and SCS-70s had been
replaced with their AR-70/90 equivalents.Jordan and Malaysia were also using the AR-70 series.There were also a surprising amount of Romanian irregular forces found to
be armed with the AR-70 series, and a lot of Swiss and Austrian civilians had
apparently managed to capture AR-70 series weapons as well.Only about half the Italian military’s AR-70s and LM-70s had been
replaced with the AR-70/90 and LM-70/90, but most of the SC-70s and SCS-70s had
been replaced with their AR-70/90 equivalents.As above, a lot of these weapons were found in the hands of Swiss and
Austrian civilians during and after the Twilight War.

Merc 2000 Notes:
Jordanian AR-70s were largely replaced by M-16A2s and M-4s by 2000; Italian
AR-70s were almost entirely replaced by AR-70/90s by the late 1990s.The AR-70/90 was very much an “Italian-only” weapon; there were a lot of
cheaper weapons to be found on the international market.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price*

AR-70

5.56mm NATO

3.8 kg

8, 20, 30

$576

LM-70

5.56mm NATO

4.9 kg

8, 20, 30

$1265

SC-70

5.56mm NATO

3.85 kg

8, 20, 30

$599

SCS-70

5.56mm NATO

3.7 kg

8, 20, 30

$547

AR-70/90

5.56mm NATO

3.99 kg

20, 30

$1186

LM-70/90

5.56mm NATO

4.25 kg

20, 30

$1447

SC-70/90

5.56mm NATO

3.99 kg

20, 30

$1206

SCP-70/90

5.56mm NATO

4.05 kg

20, 30

$1108

SCS-70/90

5.56mm NATO

3.79 kg

20, 30

$745

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

AR-70

5

3

1-Nil

6

2

6

46

LM-70

5

3

1-Nil

6

2

5

54

LM-70 (Bipod)

5

3

1-Nil

6

1

3

69

SC-70

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

6

46

SCS-70

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

2

6

27

AR-70/90

3/5

3

1-Nil

6

2

3/6

46

AR-70/90 (Bipod)

3/5

3

1-Nil

6

1

2/3

60

LM-70/90

3/5

3

1-Nil

7

2

3/5

54

LM-70/90 (Bipod)

3/5

3

1-Nil

7

1

2/3

69

SC-70/90

3/5

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

3/6

46

SC-70/90 (Bipod)

3/5

3

1-Nil

5/6

1

2/3

60

SCP-70/90

3/5

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

3/5

34

SCP-70 (Bipod)

3/5

3

1-Nil

4/6

1

2/3

45

SCS-70/90

3/5

3

1-Nil

4/5

2

3/6

32

*For AR-70/90 series weapons without a burst firing feature, subtract $182 from
the price.

Beretta
ARX-160

Notes: Called
during development the AR-160X, the ARX-160 was originally designed to compete
in the US SCAR competition.Other
than by US testers, the ARX-160 was first seen at SOFEX 2008 in Jordan. It lost
the SCAR competition, but remained in development; currently, some Italian
special ops units are using it, Albania’s nascent special ops units are using it
(they have some 100 of them), and it is being used as a base for Italy’s
Soldato Futuro program, something
similar to the FN and the Belgian government’s F-2000 rifle family, France’s
PAPOP system, and the US Future Soldier program. It is still being developed as
of January 2010, but most of the development of the rifle itself is complete.What’s being developed now is various equipment and packages/add-ons for
the ARX-160 and the Soldato Futuro
program.Some of these “add-ons”
include a laser-pointer, a thermal imager, a rangefinder, a ballistic computer,
an ACOG-type sight, a combination thermal imager/day telescopic sight/ACOG/laser
pointer, a 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher, and a 12-gauge underbarrel pump
shotgun designed for use with magnum shells.I say “add-on” because these accessories are designed so be
semi-integrated with the ARX-160 upon which they are mounted, reducing bulk.For now, I will limit my scope to the rifle itself.

The ARX-160 is
gas piston-operated, using a rotating bolt for breech locking, and firing from a
closed bolt.The ARX-160 can use
magazines designed for it, most magazines designed for the particular chambering
used, or STANAG magazines. Though several lengths of barrel will be delineated
below, the barrels are actually quickly removed and changed in the field with no
special tools.The receiver is of
light-alloy-strengthened polymer, with the upper and lower receivers collected
by quick-release locks instead of push-pull pins like most military weapons
these days.The ARX-160 uses a
surprisingly small length of action, making the overall length of the ARX-160
itself surprisingly short.Above
the receiver is a full-length (extending to the front sight) MIL-STD-1913 rail
made of aircraft-quality aluminum.
Unlike most conventional-design (ie, non-bullpup) rifles, the ARX-160 can be
assembled to be left-handed or right-handed; this is necessary due to the short
length of the receiver.This
includes the charging handle, which is attached to the bolt carrier.The fire controls themselves are ambidextrous. The fore-end also has
three MIL-STD-1913 rails (at 3, 6, and 9-o’clock).The lower rail is specially strengthened to be able to solidly-accept
grenade launchers, shotguns, foregrips, and bipods.The stock is also polymer and folds to the right as well as being
telescoping to adjust further to shooter size and the tactical situation. The
stock has a textured rubber plate to eliminate slip, not as a recoil pad.

The ARX-160 has
a total of six sling attachment points, allowing the use of almost all types of
slings in use today.The primary
development chambering has been 5.56mm NATO, but the ARX-160 can be quickly
changed to 6.8mm SPC, 7.62mm Kalashnikov, or 5,45mm Kalashnikov by a change of
barrel, lower receiver, and bolt head.Maintenance and field stripping are said to be very simple (one Beretta
designer said that if you can play with LEGOs, you can maintain an ARX-160 and
add any component).Currently, the
ARX-160 is designed with a 12-inch-barrel Special Forces Carbine (SFC) version,
a 16-inch standard carbine, and a 16-inch Designated Marksman Carbine version,
with a heavy-profile match-quality carbine and a floating barrel.14-inch, 20-inch, and 20-inch Designated Marksman versions have been
rumored, and you know I could not resist that. Designated
Marksman versions below include a bipod and a light telescopic sight. Unusually
for an assault rifle, the ARX-160 has a quick-change barrel; this is more to
facilitate changes between barrel lengths than to change a hot barrel.

Twilight 2000
Notes: The ARX-160 is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

ARX-160 (12” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

2.86 kg

20, 30

$549

ARX-160 (14” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

2.93 kg

20, 30

$569

ARX-160 (16” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

3 kg

20, 30

$590

ARX-160 (20” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

3.23 kg

20, 30

$632

ARX-160 (16” Designated Marksman)

5.56mm NATO

4.09 kg

20, 30

$1195

ARX-160 (20” Designated Marksman)

5.56mm NATO

4.27 kg

20, 30

$1323

ARX-160 (12” Barrel)

5.45mm Kalashnikov

2.77 kg

20, 30

$497

ARX-160 (14” Barrel)

5.45mm Kalashnikov

2.84 kg

20, 30

$518

ARX-160 (16” Barrel)

5.45mm Kalashnikov

2.91 kg

20, 30

$539

ARX-160 (20” Barrel)

5.45mm Kalashnikov

3.13 kg

20, 30

$580

ARX-160 (16” Designated Marksman)

5.45mm Kalashnikov

3.96 kg

20, 30

$1144

ARX-160 (20” Designated Marksman)

5.45mm Kalashnikov

4.13 kg

20, 30

$1270

ARX-160 (12” Barrel)

6.8mm SPC

3.09 kg

20, 30

$689

ARX-160 (14” Barrel)

6.8mm SPC

3.17 kg

20, 30

$710

ARX-160 (16” Barrel)

6.8mm SPC

3.25 kg

20, 30

$731

ARX-160 (20” Barrel)

6.8mm SPC

3.5 kg

20, 30

$772

ARX-160 (16” Designated Marksman)

6.8mm SPC

4.43 kg

20, 30

$1337

ARX-160 (20” Designated Marksman)

6.8mm SPC

4.62 kg

20, 30

$1472

ARX-160 (12” Barrel)

7.62mm Kalashnikov

3.26 kg

20, 30

$798

ARX-160 (14” Barrel)

7.62mm Kalashnikov

3.34 kg

20, 30

$820

ARX-160 (16” Barrel)

7.62mm Kalashnikov

3.42 kg

20, 30

$840

ARX-160 (20” Barrel)

7.62mm Kalashnikov

3.68 kg

20, 30

$882

ARX-160 (16” Designated Marksman)

7.62mm Kalashnikov

4.66 kg

20, 30

$1450

ARX-160 (20” Designated Marksman)

7.62mm Kalashnikov

4.87 kg

20, 30

$1579

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

ARX-160 (5.56mm, 12”)

5

2

1-Nil

3/5

3

6

25

ARX-160 (5.56mm, 14”)

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

3

6

32

ARX-160 (5.56mm, 16”)

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

3

6

40

ARX-160 (5.56mm, 20”)

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

3

6

55

ARX-160 (5.56mm, 16” DMC)

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

2

5

41

With
Bipod

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

1

3

54

ARX-160 (5.56mm, 20” DMR)

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

5

57

With
Bipod

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

1

3

74

ARX-160 (5.45mm, 12”)

5

2

1-Nil

3/5

3

6

29

ARX-160 (5.45mm, 14”)

5

2

1-Nil

4/5

3

6

36

ARX-160 (5.45mm, 16”)

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

3

6

44

ARX-160 (5.45mm, 20”)

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

3

6

61

ARX-160 (5.45mm, 16” DMC)

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

2

5

46

With
Bipod

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

1

3

60

ARX-160 (5.45mm, 20” DMR)

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

5

61

With
Bipod

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

1

3

81

ARX-160 (6.8mm, 12”)

5

3

1-1-Nil

3/5

3

6

34

ARX-160 (6.8mm, 14”)

5

3

1-2-Nil

4/5

3

7

44

ARX-160 (6.8mm, 16”)

5

3

1-2-Nil

4/5

3

7

54

ARX-160 (6.8mm, 20”)

5

3

1-2-Nil

5/6

3

7

74

ARX-160 (6.8mm, 16” DMC)

5

3

1-2-Nil

4/5

2

6

56

With
Bipod

5

3

1-2-Nil

4/5

1

3

72

ARX-160 (6.8mm, 20” DMR)

5

3

1-2-Nil

5/6

2

6

78

With
Bipod

5

3

1-2-Nil

5/6

1

3

102

ARX-160 (7.62mm, 12”)

5

3

2-Nil

3/5

3

7

29

ARX-160 (7.62mm, 14”)

5

3

2-Nil

4/5

4

9

36

ARX-160 (7.62mm, 16”)

5

4

2-Nil

4/5

4

9

44

ARX-160 (7.62mm, 20”)

5

4

2-3-Nil

5/6

4

9

60

ARX-160 (7.62mm, 16” DMC)

5

4

2-Nil

4/5

3

8

46

With
Bipod

5

4

2-Nil

4/5

2

4

60

ARX-160 (7.62mm, 20” DMR)

5

4

2-3-Nil

5/6

3

8

62

With
Bipod

5

4

2-3-Nil

5/6

2

4

81

Beretta P-30

Notes: This odd
M-1 Carbine variant was inspired by the carbines supplied by the US Government
after World War 2 and Soviet experiments with semiautomatic and automatic rifles
during that war.The result is
basically an M-2 Carbine using a modified Tokarev action instead of the standard
M-1/M-2 Carbine action.An odd
feature of this weapon is that no visible parts move during firing; the
necessary movements are all internal.The rifle used a virtually standard M-1 Carbine stock, and fired M-1
Carbine ammunition.The P-30 had
two triggers; the rear trigger fired semiautomatic, unless the front trigger was
pulled first (acting as sort of a selector lever).